Montgomery: Kurti is carrying out ethnic cleansing, forcing Serbs out of Kosovo

Former US Ambassador to Serbia William Montgomery stated today that the administration of newly elected US President Donald Trump will likely be more favorable toward Serbia, but that it is important to consider how to handle this change, RTV reports.

“Be careful what you wish for, because it might come true. The region still has the potential for violence. I was in Bosnia and Herzegovina recently, and tensions are rising. Issues like Jasenovac, Srebrenica, and Kosovo need assistance to be resolved. Keep that in mind when thinking about American support,” Montgomery said on the "Uranak" show on K1 television, as reported by Tanjug.

Regarding Kosovo, Montgomery emphasized that Prime Minister Albin Kurti is provoking without reason, that is, he is carrying out a slow form of ethnic cleansing.

“He is taking actions that force Serbs to leave Kosovo. We have nominally said this should stop but haven’t enforced it, I hope now we will. You need to consider how you will respond. We appreciate your restraint regarding these provocations, think about what you want to do,” Montgomery advised.

When asked why measures to counter Kurti haven’t been used thus far, he noted that there had been a generation of political leaders who had formed their views of the region about 30 years ago and had not changed them.

“When they talk about the bombings, they see them as a success and don’t want to abandon that stance. They want to go against those we protected, like the Kosovo Albanians. I would take some action regarding Kurti, but afterward, what would Serbia want – is it to rewind and make Kosovo part of Serbia again? The issue is also that the Balkans are not currently a priority, yet all these problems persist,” Montgomery remarked.

He also assessed that it was unwise for the United States to vote in favor of the resolution on Srebrenica and questioned why the government of Bosnia and Herzegovina raised this issue at this particular time.

“Your country has done everything right regarding Srebrenica, your president went and apologized for that war crime,” he said.

On Serbia’s EU integration, Montgomery said that the EU had treated Serbia very poorly. As he said, there are about 35 chapters still to be opened, and the process drags on.

“One of the biggest mistakes was opening the chapter on Kosovo in the middle of the process, which has stalled everything. The EU lacks the will to make progress, nor are they willing to help Kosovo. I have no respect for their approach,” Montgomery commented.

He added that the EU is hesitant to accept anyone from the Western Balkans as long as unresolved issues remain.

“As long as disputes persist and the potential for violence in the region, such as in Kosovo, exists, we are not moving closer to a solution, and the EU won’t accept you,” he noted.

Regarding the recent US elections, Montgomery says that America is now divided in ways it never was before, with a significant gap between two opposing sides.

“There used to be a middle ground, people willing to compromise, but not anymore. If even one-third of Trump’s campaign promises are realized, it would be catastrophic. It is likely Trump will end support for Ukraine, which could lead Ukraine to surrender or cede territory. This will also give Israel an opportunity to escalate in Gaza and Lebanon. Third, he threatens to restrict international trade, and fourth, he is indifferent to NATO. Worldwide, the US voice will carry less weight because Trump doesn’t like to engage in international relations. If you listened to his campaign, the world will become a much worse place, it will not be like it was before,” Montgomery concluded.